Showing posts with label governor. Show all posts
Showing posts with label governor. Show all posts

Gov. Inslee: What's Open - What's Closed

Saturday, May 2, 2020



Washington's phased approach to reopening


On May 1, 2020, Gov. Jay Inslee discussed the phased approach (pdf) he and public health officials will take for resuming recreational, social and business activities. 

Every phase will still require social distancing and appropriate health precautions including the use of personal protective equipment in a number of workplaces. 

As of May 5, fishing, hunting, playing golf and day-use of state parks and lands is allowed, and officials are working with industry on guidance to soon allow for retail curbside pickup, automobile sales, car washes, landscaping and house cleaning services, and drive-in spiritual services with one household per vehicle.

Below is a list of social distancing recommendations that are currently in place.
Gov. Jay Inslee has issued a Stay at Home, Stay Healthy order.

The order requires every Washingtonian to stay at home which will be effective through May 4, except for people:

Governor’s Phase 1 construction restart plan

The governor announced that certain low-risk construction projects can restart as long as they can comply with the COVID-19 Safety Plan. The safety plan was developed as part of a working group that included contractors and workers. The plan includes requirements related to safety training, physical distancing, PPE, sanitation and cleanliness, monitoring employees for symptoms, and logging job site visitors. The governor did not announce restart plans for any other industry or activity.

What’s open
  • All grocery stores, pharmacies, gas stations, food supply chains and other things necessary for continued operations will remain open.

What’s prohibited
  • All gatherings of people for social, spiritual and recreational purposes are prohibited. This applies to both private and public gatherings which include everything from sleepovers for children to weddings. All of these types of events must be postponed for public health and safety.
  • All businesses, except for essential businesses. Businesses that can operate using telework should continue to do so. For businesses where individuals cannot work from home, the Governor’s Office has provided guidance on what businesses are essential, building on the federal government’s and California’s definition of "essential critical infrastructure workers." You can clarify status, or request inclusion on the list. Businesses and entities that provide other essential services must implement rules that help facilitate social distancing of at least six feet.
  • Governor Inslee has issued several orders, including the Stay Home-Stay Healthy proclamation, prohibiting people from leaving their home or place of residence except to conduct or participate in essential activities, and/or business services. Suspected violations of the governor’s orders regarding essential business functions and social distancing can be reported.


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Inslee announces infusion of federal testing supplies to support COVID-19 response

Friday, May 1, 2020

Test kit

Gov. Jay Inslee issued a statement today in response to the news that the federal government will be invoking the Defense Production Act in order to increase available testing supplies for states.

"I am pleased to announce that following our state’s advocacy for a strong national testing system for COVID-19, the federal government has informed my staff they will be invoking the Defense Production Act to significantly increase domestic production of testing supplies and providing these materials to Washington and other states. 

"The White House and senior officials with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) have communicated to us that they will immediately begin shipping large quantities of sample collection supplies to states and will be making weekly distributions for at least the months of May and June, with a commitment to help manage the domestic supply chain to ensure states’ continued access to supplies for the remainder of the year.

"They also indicated the federal government will consider opportunities to support the supply chain for our laboratories as well as assist with personnel challenges.

"In my conversations with the Trump administration, I have repeatedly emphasized the need for the federal government to create new sources of domestic production through use of the Defense Production Act — not merely compete with states in the procurement of existing production.

"I am heartened by today’s commitment to do precisely that. We have been informed that Washington will receive more than 500,000 swabs each month as part of this new federal effort.

"This federal support is an important and welcome step toward a safe and responsible return to public life. However, additional forms of federal support for testing continue to be necessary, as I laid out in my letter to Vice President Pence last week.

"I continue to appreciate the open lines of communication with his office and others in the federal government, and I am hopeful we can keep working together in the coming days to ensure confidence in the laboratory supply chain and meet the full testing needs of vulnerable communities and workers across our state.

"I am grateful for the tireless efforts of Senator Patty Murray and others in Washington’s congressional delegation who have fought for weeks to secure the increased federal testing support we need at this critical time."



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Inslee announces plan to allow construction projects previously underway to be completed

Thursday, April 30, 2020



Gov. Jay Inslee, in consultation with the state’s construction industry, announced a plan today to allow current construction projects to be completed.

The recommendations were informed by workers, contractors, health and safety experts, and local government officials, for safe construction standards.

“I thank all those involved in the construction work group in helping us get to this decision in a responsible way that supports workers, businesses, and communities in a way that protects the health of all of their families and ours,” Inslee said. 
“Our strategy is working and we need to keep with it. We would much rather protect people from sickness and death now, so that we don’t have to go through this crisis all over again later.”

The requirements developed by the work group are as follows:
  • Restart existing construction projects with COVID-19 safety plans that allow work which only can be performed while meeting social distancing requirements.
  • Prior to recommencing work, all contractors are required to develop and post at each job site a comprehensive COVID-19 exposure control, mitigation and recovery plan.
  • All contractors are required to post at each job site a written notice to employees, subcontractors and government officials the work that will be performed at that job site and a signed commitment to adhere to the requirements.
  • All contractors have a general obligation to keep a safe and healthy job site in accordance with state and federal law.

Specific safety requirements include:

COVID-19 site supervisor; A site-specific COVID-19 supervisor will be designated by the contractor at every job site to monitor the health of employees and enforce the COVID-19 job site safety plan.

COVID-19 safety training; A training must be conducted on all job sites on the first day of returning to work, and weekly thereafter, to explain the protective measures in place for all workers.

Social distancing; Social distancing of at least 6 feet of separation must be maintained by every person on the job site at all times.

Personal protective equipment (PPE) — employer provided
  • Employers must provide personal protective equipment (PPE) such as gloves, goggles, face shields and face masks as appropriate, or required, for the work being done.
The plan also includes proper sanitation and cleanliness for workers, as well as policies to encourage workers to stay home or leave the job site when they are sick.

The order includes public construction projects underway from the state Department of Transportation as well. WSDOT staff and contractors will implement similar protocols and crews will need to demonstrate how they will adhere to safety protocols and compliance.

The governor was joined by members of the Construction Roundtable working group for the announcement.

“My office and the Department of Commerce will convene stakeholder groups to develop plans similar to what we have seen with the Construction Roundtable, to have procedures in place when the time is right to modify restrictions,” Inslee said. 
“Their work has served as a model for reaching consensus on strict safety guidelines. And this is how we intend to work with other industries and groups on eventually lifting restrictions on other sectors of the economy. We cannot yet say when more businesses will reopen because that will be driven by health data.”

“This is really good news, not only because construction is such a critical part of our economy but also because it shows the steps we’ve taken to slow the spread of the virus in Washington are working,” said Michael Ennis, director of government affairs, Association of Washington Business.

“The construction roundtable that worked with the governor’s office to develop these new protocols allowing for the safe restart of construction looked at everything through the lens of worker safety. It was a great team effort, with business and labor representatives working side by side.”

The governor signed an addendum to Proclamation 20–25. The memorandum serves as the criteria for a limited Phase 1 Construction Restart.



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Gov. Inslee announces easing of certain COVID-19 social distancing restrictions



Gov. Jay Inslee has announced the state’s first steps to ease certain COVID-19 restrictions including allowing certain low-risk construction projects to restart and allowing the partial re-opening of some outdoor recreation activities

The governor, during a news conference on Monday, also discussed the state’s approach to easing restrictions, which is based on several factors including:

  • Rate of infection: Case counts overall have flattened and data from the Puget Sound indicates that for each person infected, the disease is spread to just under one additional individual. While that shows social distancing is helping slow the spread, the governor said medical experts warn there is high risk that infection rates could increase again if we modify restrictions too soon.
  • Ability to test: To accurately determine the rate of infection, the state needs to significantly increase testing. While the state now has the lab capacity to test large numbers of people, it does not yet have enough testing materials including swabs and viral transmission medium to get the samples to the labs. The state is aggressively pursuing options to get more testing materials from the federal government and other sources soon.
  • Contact tracing: Once the rate of infection is low and testing capacity is in place, the state needs the ability to reach people who come in contact with someone who is infected to make sure they are isolated, as well as their families. That is the only way, currently, to ensure the virus does not spread out of control. The state is creating a contact tracing workforce of 1,500 people, primarily from the Washington State National Guard, local health departments and the state Department of Health.
  • Status of the healthcare system: The state wants to ensure the hospital system has the capacity to handle another surge of patients in case the virus again spreads rapidly through the population.

“Not one of these metrics is dispositive,” the governor said. “You have to consider all of these factors together and when they reach the point where we're highly confident that we can reopen our society, then we will make a decision to do that as soon as we can.”



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Inslee issues guidance to clarify limits on elective surgeries

Photo by Online Marketing on Unsplash


Gov. Jay Inslee today announced additional guidance for the existing order on limiting non-urgent medical procedures. 

Last month, the governor issued Proclamation 20-24 to ensure appropriate surge capacity and personal protective equipment (PPE) in hospitals and other health care facilities to manage an influx of COVID-19 patients.

"Washingtonians have taken the threat of COVID-19 seriously, and that includes our doctors and nurses. 
"But there are some much needed procedures that aren't being performed that should be, and we need to make sure that everyone gets the care they need during this time," Inslee said.
“Through the great work of our hospitals and medical delivery system, we are clarifying that some procedures should go forward while still ensuring there is adequate capacity to deal with COVID-19 and other emergency situations. 
"Personal protective equipment continues to be in high demand, and we must make sure that all medical professionals have what they need to stay healthy and protected while serving the needs of their patients.”

The guidance provides clarification on what type of procedures are permitted under the order and lays out guidelines for what PPE health care workers should have and how long they should use it.

Read the full guidance document here.



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Inslee announces Colorado and Nevada will join Washington, Oregon and California in Western States Pact

Tuesday, April 28, 2020

In the absence of a federal strategy, the states are forming
their own coalitions, both formal and informal


Gov. Jay Inslee announced Monday that Colorado Governor Jared Polis and Nevada Governor Steve Sisolak are joining Washington, Oregon and California in the Western States Pact -- a working group of Western state governors with a shared vision for modifying stay at home orders and fighting COVID-19.

From Inslee:
"In Washington state, our decisions are guided by public health data and science and this is a principle we share up and down the West Coast. Governor Polis and Governor Sisolak are taking that approach as well, and the addition of their states will strengthen this regional partnership and save lives," Inslee said.
From Colorado Gov. Polis:
“Coloradans are working together to slow the spread of COVID-19 and have important information to share with and to gain from other states. I’m thrilled Colorado is joining the Western States Pact," Gov. Jared Polis said. "There’s no silver bullet that will solve this pandemic until there is a cure so we must have a multifaceted and bold approach in order to slow the spread of the virus, keep our people safe and help our economy rebound.”
From Nevada Gov. Sisolak:
“I’m honored to have the state of Nevada join the Western States Pact and believe the sharing of critical information and best practices on how to mitigate the spread, protect the health and safety of our residents, and reopen responsibly will be invaluable as we chart our paths forward,” Gov. Steve Sisolak said. “Millions of visitors from our fellow Western states travel to Nevada every year as a premier tourism destination and this partnership will be vital to our immediate recovery and long-term economic comeback.” 

Earlier this month, Inslee, along with California Governor Gavin Newsom and Oregon Governor Kate Brown, announced they would be working together under a shared vision for gradually modifying their state’s stay at home orders and fighting COVID-19.

They listed three shared principles as foundational to the agreement:
  1. Our residents’ health comes first. As home to nearly one in five Americans and gateway to the rest of the world, the West Coast has an outsized stake in controlling and ultimately defeating COVID-19.
  2. Health outcomes and science – not politics – will guide these decisions. Modifications to our states’ stay at home orders must be made based off our understanding of the total health impacts of COVID-19, including: the direct impact of the disease on our communities; the health impact of measures introduced to control the spread in communities —particularly felt by those already experiencing social disadvantage prior to COVID-19; and our health care systems’ ability to ensure care for those who may become sick with COVID-19 and other conditions. This effort will be guided by data. We need to see a decline in the rate of spread of the virus before large-scale reopening, and we will be working in coordination to identify the best metrics to guide this.
  3. Our states will only be effective by working together. Each state will work with its local leaders and communities within its borders to understand what’s happening on the ground and adhere to our agreed upon approach.

As part of the Western States Pact, the governors commit to working together toward the following four goals:
  1. Protecting vulnerable populations at risk for severe disease if infected. This includes a concerted effort to prevent and fight outbreaks in nursing homes and other long-term care facilities.
  2. Ensuring an ability to care for those who may become sick with COVID-19 and other conditions. This will require adequate hospital surge capacity and supplies of personal protective equipment.
  3. Mitigating the non-direct COVID-19 health impacts, particularly on disadvantaged communities.
  4. Protecting the general public by ensuring any successful lifting of interventions includes the development of a system for testing, tracking and isolating. The states will work together to share best practices.



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Inslee announces easing of outdoor restrictions

Gov. Jay Inslee

Gov. Jay Inslee announced Monday a partial re-opening of some outdoor recreation activities.

“When I rolled out, ‘Stay Home, Stay Healthy’ over a month ago, difficult decisions were made to close state parks and public lands, golf facilities, and delaying hunting and fishing seasons. This was necessary to slow the spread of COVID-19, reduce travel and ultimately, save lives,” Inslee said.
“Outdoor recreation is one of the best things we can do promote physical, mental and emotional well-being for Washingtonians during a time of great stress and isolation. And springtime in our state is Washington at its best and people want to be out enjoying outdoor activities in a safe and responsible way.”

As of Tuesday, May 5, some outdoor recreation will be allowed with appropriate safety precautions including: fishing; hunting; playing golf; day use at state parks, state public lands managed by the Department of Natural Resources and at state Fish and Wildlife areas.


The governor stressed that all of these activities must be done with appropriate social distancing and the safety and security of participants and the people who work in outdoor recreation.

“If we see a sharp uptake in the number of people who are getting sick or are not following appropriate steps, then we won’t hesitate to scale this back again,” Inslee said. “This is not a return to normal. This is only a beginning phase of relaxing outdoor recreation restrictions.”

Public gatherings, events, team sports, and camping, among other things, are not resuming at this time.

Notably, the actions the state is taking in no way prevent the closure actions of local governments or national agencies, who may choose to continue their park, land and trail closures based on local public health needs.




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Governor announces plan to allow current construction projects to be completed

Saturday, April 25, 2020

Work on the Alexan Shoreline was stopped by Governor's order
Photo by Steven H. Robinson


Gov. Jay Inslee, in consultation with the state’s construction industry, announced a plan today to allow current construction projects to be completed.

The recommendations were informed by workers, contractors, health and safety experts, and local government officials, for safe construction standards.

“I thank all those involved in the construction work group in helping us get to this decision in a responsible way that supports workers, businesses, and communities in a way that protects the health of all of their families and ours,” Inslee said. 
“Our strategy is working and we need to keep with it. We would much rather protect people from sickness and death now, so that we don’t have to go through this crisis all over again later.”

The requirements developed by the work group are as follows:

1) Restart existing construction projects with COVID-19 safety plans that allow work which only can be performed while meeting social distancing requirements.

2) Prior to recommencing work, all contractors are required to develop and post at each job site a comprehensive COVID-19 exposure control, mitigation and recovery plan.

3) All contractors are required to post at each job site a written notice to employees, subcontractors and government officials the work that will be performed at that job site and a signed commitment to adhere to the requirements.

4) All contractors have a general obligation to keep a safe and healthy job site in accordance with state and federal law.

Specific safety requirements include:
  • COVID-19 site supervisor
    • A site-specific COVID-19 supervisor will be designated by the contractor at every job site to monitor the health of employees and enforce the COVID-19 job site safety plan.
  • COVID-19 safety training
    • A training must be conducted on all job sites on the first day of returning to work, and weekly thereafter, to explain the protective measures in place for all workers.
  • Social distancing
    • Social distancing of at least 6 feet of separation must be maintained by every person on the job site at all times.
  • Personal protective equipment (PPE) — employer provided
    • Employers must provide personal protective equipment (PPE) such as gloves, goggles, face shields and face masks as appropriate, or required, for the work being done.
    • The plan also includes proper sanitation and cleanliness for workers, as well as policies to encourage workers to stay home or leave the job site when they are sick.
    • The order includes public construction projects underway from the state Department of Transportation as well. WSDOT staff and contractors will implement similar protocols and crews will need to demonstrate how they will adhere to safety protocols and compliance.


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Gov. Inslee discusses recovery plan

Wednesday, April 22, 2020

Screenshot from Gov. Inslee's presentation


Gov. Jay Inslee spoke directly to Washingtonians Tuesday evening to lay out his vision for the eventual safe return to public life amid the COVID-19 outbreak.

Inslee said it is unlikely many restrictions under the “Stay Home, Stay Healthy” order will be modified before May 4. Rather, this plan is intended to be a framework for the loosening of restrictions contingent on a steady decrease of the spread of COVID-19.

“It will look more like a turn of the dial than a flip of the switch,” Inslee said in the address. “We’re going to take steps and then monitor to see whether they work or if we must continue to adapt.”

Depending on health projections for the spread of the virus, some distancing restrictions may be in place for weeks or months to come.

“In the coming days, we will receive additional health modeling projecting the course of this virus,” Inslee said. “We hope it will give us cause to begin lifting certain restrictions.”

The return to public life will occur in measured steps. It will be guided by science and informed by our public health needs, our ability to mitigate impacts, and the response of Washington communities.

Read the rest of the plan on the governor's Medium page.




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West coast governors forge agreement on controlling COVID-19 into the future

Tuesday, April 14, 2020

West Coast states will work together
Wikimedia Commons

On Monday, Washington Gov. Jay Inslee, California Gov. Gavin Newsom and Oregon Gov. Kate Brown announced an agreement on a shared vision for reopening their economies and controlling COVID-19 into the future.

Joint statement from the governors:


COVID-19 has preyed upon our interconnectedness. In the coming weeks, the West Coast will flip the script on COVID-19 – with our states acting in close coordination and collaboration to ensure the virus can never spread wildly in our communities.

We are announcing that California, Oregon and Washington have agreed to work together on a shared approach for reopening our economies – one that identifies clear indicators for communities to restart public life and business.

While each state is building a state-specific plan, our states have agreed to the following principles as we build out a West Coast framework:

  • Our residents’ health comes first. As home to one in six Americans and gateway to the rest of the world, the West Coast has an outsized stake in controlling and ultimately defeating COVID-19.
  • Health outcomes and science – not politics - will guide these decisions. Modifications to our states’ stay at home orders must be made based off our understanding of the total health impacts of COVID-19, including: the direct impact of the disease on our communities; the health impact of measures introduced to control the spread in communities —particularly felt by those already experiencing social disadvantage prior to COVID-19; and our health care systems’ ability to ensure care for those who may become sick with COVID-19 and other conditions. This effort will be guided by data. We need to see a decline in the rate of spread of the virus before large-scale reopening, and we will be working in coordination to identify the best metrics to guide this.
  • Our states will only be effective by working together. Each state will work with it’s local leaders and communities within its borders to understand what’s happening on the ground and adhere to our agreed upon approach.

Through quick and decisive action, each of our states has made significant progress in flattening the curve and slowing the spread of COVID-19 among the broader public. Now, our public health leaders will focus on four goals that will be critical for controlling the virus in the future.
  • Protecting vulnerable populations at risk for severe disease if infected. This includes a concerted effort to prevent and fight outbreaks in nursing homes and other long-term care facilities.
  • Ensuring an ability to care for those who may become sick with COVID-19 and other conditions. This will require adequate hospital surge capacity and supplies of personal protective equipment.
  • Mitigating the non-direct COVID-19 health impacts, particularly on disadvantaged communities.
  • Protecting the general public by ensuring any successful lifting of interventions includes the development of a system for testing, tracking and isolating. The states will work together to share best practices.

COVID-19 doesn’t follow state or national boundaries. It will take every level of government, working together, and a full picture of what’s happening on the ground.

In the coming days the governors, their staff and health officials will continue conversations about this regional pact to recovery.



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Inslee, leading nonprofits, launch fund for state’s food banks as supply levels drop

Wednesday, April 8, 2020



Gov. Jay Inslee joined key nonprofits and local philanthropies Tuesday to launch a coordinated, statewide food relief fund that will help reach those in need in every corner of Washington.

With increasingly high demand, supplies at the state’s food banks have dropped to dangerously low levels, with an estimated 1.6 million people — double the usual number — in Washington expected to depend on those supplies this week.

“Washingtonians are generous neighbors who rise to the occasion, and this is a moment for individuals to make a difference,” Inslee said. “By coming together and contributing to this fund, we can meet this demand across the state and help our neighbors and their families put a meal on the table.”

The relief effort, called WA Food Fund, is being managed by Philanthropy Northwest, a network of philanthropic organizations committed to helping communities across the Northwest. The effort will combine business and philanthropic dollars with individual fundraising to have the most effect.

“We call on all those who are able to contribute — whether that’s $5, $10 or more — to do so because that’s enough to provide one meal to a person in need,” said Philanthropy Northwest CEO Kiran Ahuja.

Donations will be directed to three organizations that deliver food to every food bank across Washington: Food Lifeline; Northwest Harvest; and Second Harvest.

“We know Washingtonians want to help, and this fund is the way to do that because every person and every dollar makes a difference,” said Food Lifeline CEO Linda Nageotte. “By joining forces across the state, we can get more food faster to people in need.”

WA Food Fund is focused solely on serving Washington residents and operates separately from the recently launched America’s Food Fund, which will spread its donations across the country to various organizations.

Contribute to the WA Food Fund, HERE



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Inslee extends school closures for the rest of the 2019-20 school year

Tuesday, April 7, 2020

Gov. Inslee at podium and SPI Reykdal standing bay


Gov. Jay Inslee and Superintendent of Public Instruction Chris Reykdal today announced the extension of school closures for the remainder of the 2019-2020 school year. The order keeps both public and private schools closed in accordance with the governor's original order on March 13.

The governor's proclamation prohibits in-person instruction through June 19, with exceptions for students with disabilities and English language learners for whom distance learning would present challenges. 

Facilities remain accessible for limited use, including providing child care and packing take-home meals for students' families to pick up. All activities must follow Department of Health social distancing guidelines.

"This closure is guided by science and is our greatest opportunity to keep our kids, educators and communities safe," Inslee said at a news conference Monday afternoon. 
"If there is any opportunity to bring students back for a few days, including graduation ceremonies for our seniors, we will continue to explore that option. That opportunity will be guided by our collective behavior and the success we can achieve with the choices we make today."

Inslee said students' grades will not suffer as a result of the closure and encouraged them to take advantage of remaining learning opportunities. The governor also asked teachers and administrators to work together on the best path forward for the remainder of the school year.

“There is no question about it: Our educators and school staff are absolutely dedicated to continuing to provide supports for students and their learning,” Reykdal said. 
“We have already seen districts step up to provide meals for students in need and child care for the children of essential workers. Over the past three weeks, they have prepared for and begun providing continuous learning for students – and this will only get better and more sophisticated over time. We will continue serving our students and we will persevere through this.”

Read the proclamation here.



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Governor extends 'Stay Home, Stay Healthy' through May 4

Friday, April 3, 2020

Gov Inslee extends Stay Home, Stay Healthy


Gov. Jay Inslee announced a month-long extension of his "Stay Home, Stay Healthy" emergency order Thursday evening. The order, which banned all gatherings and temporarily shuttered non-essential businesses, will continue through May 4.

"Epidemiological modeling from the University of Washington predicts we will have at least 1,400 deaths this year," Inslee said. 
"We are yet to see the full toll of this virus in our state and the modeling we’ve seen could be much worse if we don’t continue what we’re doing to slow the spread."

Public gatherings remain banned and non-essential businesses may reopen May 5. If gatherings are held in violation of the order, individuals are encouraged to notify their local police department. Do not call 911.

The state Department of Commerce is providing guidance and assistance to businesses on whether they can be considered essential and other resources they may access to help during this time. Residents or workers concerned about non-essential businesses remaining open may file complaints at this link.

"We have taken dozens of steps under my emergency powers to help people in this time – including moratoriums on evictions, mortgage forbearance, utility ratepayer assistance, unemployment extensions, flexibility on tax payments and cash assistance to families," Inslee said. "We will do more."

Part of that effort is the sacrifice of business owners who had to shut down and of their workers who struggle to pay bills, Inslee said, and it is important for us to work toward coming out of this statewide shutdown. For example, the administration is engaging in productive conversations with industries to devise a safe way for them to get back to work when we can lift that part of the order.

Is it May 4th yet?
Photo by Pam Cross

More information on resources available to Washingtonians impacted financially by the COVID-19 outbreak can be found by clicking here and by visiting coronavirus.wa.gov.

In addition to the extension of "Stay Home, Stay Healthy," the governor signed a directive to the Department of Enterprise Services and the Emergency Management Division to secure personal protective equipment as expeditiously as possible.

Also Thursday, Inslee announced a delay in the implementation of new state building codes from July 1 to Nov. 1 to provide adequate time for training and outreach that was interrupted by the COVID-19 outbreak.

These codes relate to construction and occupancy of residential and commercial structures throughout the state. Read that proclamation here.

Read all of the governor's recent proclamations here.



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Governor's assistance for small businesses

Gov. Inslee

Up to $5 million of the Governor’s Strategic Reserve Funds will be made available as small grants to small businesses across the state to help prevent closure due to COVID-19. The state Department of Commerce will coordinate an application process.

“Businesses across our economy are impacted by closures and social distancing requirements right now,” Inslee said. 
“While taking the necessary precautions to halt this virus, we do not take lightly the impact this has on businesses.”

The governor previously announced the federal Small Business Administration has approved his request for a disaster declaration, and it is anticipated that all counties in the state will be eligible.

This approval unlocks low-interest loans that will help small businesses meet their financial obligations and cover operating expenses during this difficult time. 

Congress recently approved up to $7 billion in SBA disaster loans for businesses impacted by COVID-19. Small businesses can learn more HERE.




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Gov. Inslee provides construction guidance and signs proclamations for UI rules, healthcare payments

Saturday, March 28, 2020

Gov. Jay Inslee

Gov. Jay Inslee announced new measures to combat COVID-19 and released additional guidance for construction in his “Stay Home, Stay Healthy” order.

The governor’s guidance on construction states:

“In general, commercial and residential construction is not authorized under the proclamation because construction is not considered to be an essential activity.

"However, an exception to the order allows for construction in the following limited circumstances:
a) Construction related to essential activities as described in the order;
b) To further a public purpose related to a public entity or governmental function or facility, including but not limited to publicly financed low-income housing; or
c) To prevent spoliation and avoid damage or unsafe conditions, and address emergency repairs at both non-essential businesses and residential structures.

"To that end, it is permissible for workers who are building, construction superintendents, tradesmen, or tradeswomen, or other trades including, but not limited to, plumbers, electricians, carpenters, laborers, sheet metal, iron workers, masonry, pipe trades, fabricators, heavy equipment and crane operators, finishers, exterminators, pesticide applicators, cleaning and janitorial staff for commercial and governmental properties, security staff, operating engineers, HVAC technicians, painting, moving and relocation services, forestry and arborists, and other service providers to provide services consistent with this guidance.

"All construction activity must meet social distancing and appropriate health and worker protection measures before proceeding.”

The guidance memo can be found here.

Healthcare parity

The governor signed a proclamation today that provides payment parity between health care providers.

In order to serve more patients, Inslee has signed a measure that would increase the parity between those health care providers who deliver in-person care and those who do it through telemedicine.

Telemedicine claims must now be reimbursed at the same level as care delivered face-to-face. Telemedicine claims cannot be denied by insurance carriers.

SB 5385, passed by the legislature would do the same thing, although its implementation date was not set until January 2021. The governor’s action will allow this to go into effect immediately to help increase access to care during the COVID-19 outbreak.

Rules for Unemployment Insurance

The governor also signed a proclamation today that waives work search requirements in order to receive unemployment insurance. With this action, the Washington State Employment Security Department can provide immediate assistance to those who have been financially impacted by COVID-19.
“We need to do whatever we can to help those who are financially impacted by COVID-19,” Inslee said. 
“It would be counterproductive to require people to search for work when we are asking them to ‘Stay Home, Stay Healthy’ to slow the spread of the virus. This is the right thing to do to get money in people’s pockets and waive this requirement for the short-term.”


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Gov. Inslee: Stay Home, Stay Healthy

Monday, March 23, 2020

Gov. Jay Inslee


Gov. Jay Inslee spoke directly to Washingtonians to announce he will sign a statewide order that requires everyone in the state to stay home. The order will last for two weeks and could be extended.

This Stay Home, Stay Healthy order is similar to orders that other governors, in places such as California and New York, issued last week.

This proclamation will:
  • Require every Washingtonian to stay home unless they need to pursue an essential activity.
  • Ban all gatherings for social, spiritual and recreational purposes.
  • Close all businesses except essential businesses.

“The less time we spend in public, the more lives we will save,” Inslee said.

The proclamation states it’s still safe for people to go outside as long as they remain at least six feet from each other. Grocery stores, doctor’s offices and other essential businesses will remain open. 

People can still participate in activities such as bike rides, gardening, and dog walking — as long as they follow social distancing rules.

Bans on gatherings and going out take effect immediately.

This order applies to private and public gatherings. These include some of the most deeply meaningful gatherings in communities, such as weddings and funerals.

Along with other public places, non-essential businesses with in-office personnel functions must be closed.

Inslee said it’s crucial to reduce social interactions where this highly contagious virus can spread.
Business closures must happen 48 hours after Inslee signs the order.

Many businesses can, and should, continue using telework.

All grocery stores, pharmacies, childcare facilities, gas stations, food supply chains and other things that offer people basic, crucial needs will remain open. Inslee expects businesses and residents to voluntarily comply.

He will discuss possible enforcement mechanisms in the coming days if residents and businesses do not comply.

Industries that can argue they are essential can request a special designation as an essential business. Businesses and entities that provide essential services must implement rules that help facilitate social distancing of at least six feet.

“We know life will look different tomorrow in Washington,” Inslee said. “And we know tonight’s announcement affects millions of our livelihoods. But these necessary restrictions will protect us and our loved ones so that we have a livelihood to come back to. We will keep working until this is defeated.”

Food security

We want to remind people that the food supply operations — including hunger relief and nutritional support services — are essential services that will remain open and operational through this crisis; this order does not ban people getting access to food.

Remember:
  • Food banks and food pantries are essential services that will remain in operation through this restriction.
  • You can still go to a food pantry to pick up groceries but check the hours before you go. Hours of operation may vary and many hunger relief organizations are moving to new ways to distribute food, such as home delivery and drop-off sites.
  • Food bank volunteers may continue to go to work at food pantries

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Washington receives 8,000 additional COVID-19 test kits but personal protective supplies are still too low

Friday, March 20, 2020

In response to requests for more COVID-19 testing from Washington Gov. Jay Inslee and Secretary of Health John Wiesman, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services delivered 8,000 additional sample collection test kits on Thursday, along with supplies of the protective equipment needed to conduct the tests. 

The Washington State Department of Health is working to distribute the new supplies to local health agencies in King, Pierce and Snohomish counties – the areas hardest hit by the COVID-19 virus thus far.
 
These additional test kits are intended to increase capacity for testing of high-risk populations, including elderly people, those with pre-existing conditions, and the health care providers and first responders who are caring for others during this crisis.
 
FEMA and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services plan to provide additional test kits and related equipment to Washington state as these materials become available.
Even with these new federal resources, limited testing supplies continue to be a significant issue for the COVID-19 response. 

Gov. Inslee announced new restrictions this week on non-urgent medical and dental procedures so the state can make sure Washington health care workers have enough protective equipment to wear as they work the front lines of the COVID-19 pandemic. Today’s order applies to any non-urgent procedure that requires medical professionals to wear personal protective equipment.

This impacts all hospitals, ambulatory surgery centers, and dental, orthodontic and endodontic offices in Washington. The governor’s proclamation makes clear that this restriction does not apply to treatment for patients with emergency and urgent needs.

There are exceptions. For example, doctors can perform an elective surgery if delaying the surgery would cause harm to the patient within the next three months.

“We know the health care personal protective equipment supply chain in Washington has been severely disrupted by the significant increased use of such equipment worldwide,” Inslee said. “We will do all we can to protect the women and men who protect us.”

Banned procedures include (but are not limited to):
  • most joint replacements
  • most cataract and lens surgeries
  • non-urgent cardiac procedures
  • cosmetic procedures
  • some endoscopy
  • some interventional radiology services

This order does not apply to patients with heart attacks, strokes or motor vehicle accidents. Hospitals and ambulatory surgery centers may perform surgery as long as a delay or cancellation would worsen the patient’s condition. For example, the prohibition would not apply to a patient who needs a serious cancerous tumor removed, or a patient who needs their dentist to relieve pain or manage an infection.

Inslee encourages ambulatory surgery centers to work with their local hospitals and assist with surge capacity needs.

“We’ve come together to make intense sacrifices over the past week or two,” Inslee said. “And I thank all of you for what you’re doing. Today’s crucial announcement is another way we can protect the health of our communities and families, and slow the spread of this virus so our health care systems have a fighting chance to catch up and continue keeping us healthy.”


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Gov. Inslee closes all schools, limits large gatherings, and expands protocols for adult family homes

Friday, March 13, 2020

Inslee announces measures to slow COVID-19

In order to further slow the spread of COVID-19, Gov. Jay Inslee announced his intention to sign several executive orders today to expand statewide closures of public, private, and charter schools, limit large gatherings and expand protocols for adult family homes.

Inslee made the announcement at the state Capitol in a larger venue than normal to practice social distancing measures.

Inslee expanded his order to close all K-12 public and private schools. Every district throughout the state of Washington will close for the next six weeks. 

He also announced activity restrictions for all statewide public and private universities, colleges, community colleges and technical schools, private career schools and apprenticeship training programs.

Inslee also announced two further executive orders expanding on orders from earlier this week. 

The first extends the ban on events of 250 or larger beyond the Puget Sound region to the entire state. 

The second expanded Tuesday's restrictions on visitors and protocols to nursing homes and assisted living facilities to include adult family homes and waived certain statutory requirements for long-term care workers.

Read the rest of the story on the governor's Medium page.



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A special COVID-19 message to Washington state businesses and workers from Governor Jay Inslee

Sunday, March 8, 2020

Gov. Jay Inslee

From Gov. Jay Inslee

As governor, the safety and well-being of Washingtonians is my top priority, and I want to update you on the work the state and its federal and local partners are doing to mitigate the health and economic impacts of COVID-19 coronavirus. 

Our heart goes out to those families who have lost loved ones, and our primary mission is to slow the spread of COVID-19 and mitigate further impacts. Your continued leadership and support on all fronts is critical to these efforts.

We are working with our local and federal partners on response efforts. Here are two specific resources that may help you as you make decisions regarding your employees, clients and customers.

  • Our State Department of Health, in cooperation with the US Centers for Disease Control, has issued important workplace guidelines. You have an important role to play in sharing accurate information, and I encourage you to regularly visit doh.wa.gov for up-to-the-date statewide guidance. Local public health officials are also posting guidance based on their assessment of local conditions.
COVID-19 has multiple economic impacts including workers having to stay home, interruptions to supply chains, disruptions to small businesses and hourly workers, and export-dependent businesses struggling to deliver products to key international markets. 

  • I convened a state COVID-19 Economic Retention and Recovery Taskforce, which rapidly compiled a List of Resources for Businesses and Workers Impacted by COVID-19. This list is posted on my homepage (wa.gov) and is regularly updated. 
    • These resources include financial assistance such as certain tax filing extensions, payment plans and penalty waivers. 
    • It includes export assistance, to help identify alternative markets, obtain capital advances and defray the cost of trade promotion and training activities.
    •  It includes insurance assistance to help answer questions about insurance coverage related to COVID-19. 
    • And it includes employer and worker assistance to help keep highly-trained employees on the job, and provide benefits to workers who need to take time off from work due to serious illness or to care for a family member with a serious health condition. 

If COVID-19 causes mass employment disruption or closures, our state Employment Security Department (ESD) can respond with Rapid Response services and funding to help impacted workers connect with unemployment benefits, retraining and other important social services.

Read the rest of the release on the governor's website.



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